Originally devised as commission for the London Word Festival 2011, Doing Words with Things takes the form of a simultaneous collaborative performance between a sculptor and a signer of BSL. The piece was first performed on 19 April 2011 at Rich Mix, London by Tamarin Norwood and Alex Nowak.

The piece was redeveloped for performance at Tate Britain on 22 October 2011, this time performed by BSL poets Richard Carter and Paul Scott.